Can orienting device



Feb. 3, 1953 A. A. YATEs CAN ORIENTING DEVICE 2 SHEETS-SHEET l FiledMarch 7, 1950 ,2f im ALBERT A. YATES,

INVENTOR.

A 7' TORNEV.

Feb. 3, 1953 A. A. YTES 2,627,345

CAN ORIENTING DEVICE Filed March 7, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 ALBERT A.YATE'S, INVENTOR.

ylM/W A TTOR/VEV.

Patented Feb. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN ORIENTING DEVCEAlbert A. Yates, Redondo Beach, Calif.

Application March 7, 1950, Serial No. 148,146

Claims.

This invention relates to can handling devices, and more particularly tosuch device for receiving cans of the type having a sealing beadextending around the one edge thereof in a random attitude anddelivering the cans to a discharge station in the same or a preselectedconstant attitude.

In the canning of food stuffs, it is the common practice to handle thecans during the operation in which the food is cooked in large metalcontainers holding a large number of the cans.

After the desired period of cooking, the containers are transported bysome suitable conveying device to a rough sorting machine from which thecans are fed in an end-to-end relationship. The cans, although they arefed from this device in an end-to-end relationship, are not in aconstant attitude or relative position, and some cans are consequentlyupside down relative to others.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device which willreceive the cans arranged in end-to-end relationship, but in differentrelative positions, and deliver the same to a labeling machine in apreselected attitude and to so deliver the cans without hand labor ofany kind.

The machine of the present invention is particularly adapted to handlecans of the type having a sealing bead extending around the one edgethereof formed at the time the closure member was sealed in positionacross the opening or mouth of the can body. These cans are oftentimesoval in shape and are generally many times longer than they are high.These cans today are used generally to pack meat and fish products andthe labels are usually applied by branding the cans with a narrow stripof paper on which is printed the label. The machines for labeling thesecans are formed with means for rotating the can during the actual labelapplying step and the means used to turn or rotate the cans generallycomprises a flat plate of the same shape as the closure member, andwhich is received within the depression defined by the sealing bead.This plate forms a driving means for, as the plate is rotated, theperipheral edge thereof in engagement with the inwardly facing surfaceof the sealing bead turns or rotates the can engaged.

It will thus be seen that the cans must enter the labeling machine withthe can supported by the sealing bead thereon. That is, the sealing beadmust be facing downwardly as the cans are fed into the labeling machine.Although cans as they are delivered to the device of the presentinvention have been sorted to the extent that they enter the device inan end-to-end relationship. they are hanhazardlv arranged in so far asthe position of the sealing beads are concerned.

The device of the present invention includes track means for receivingthe cans in the haphazard or random attitude, which track means areinclined laterally as well as longitudinally, so that the cans movedownwardly of the track means by gravity in a tilted reationship.Arranged beneath this track means is a second track means which leads tothe labeling machine. The second track means may also be inclined sothat the cans received thereby will move by gravity along the same,although in the now preferred embodiment of the invention, positivedriving means are associated with the second track and drive the cansthereon toward the labeling machine.

The upper track means includes a device for detecting cans movingtherealong in a bead-up attitude and this means, when engaged by a beadin that attitude, render operative mechanism for removing the canshaving its bead facing upwardly, and delivering the same to the lowertrack means in a bead-down attitude. The means for detecting cans movingalong the upper track means in a bead-up attitude may consist of afinger so mounted that an upwardly facing sealing bead will engage theend thereof as the can moves downwardly along the track means. Thefinger, when engaged by the bead, makes operative a mechanism whichdownwardly displaces a gate-like element forming a part of the uppertrack means to form an opening at the lower side of the latter. At thetime the gatelike element is moved downwardly, the can is partiallysupported thereby and the can, as it continues to move downwardly towardthe upper track means, is moved through the opening in a pitching ortilting motion.

At the same time a can is moving through the opening, an upwardlydirected force is applied to the underneath surface of the can whichaugments the tilting or pitching motion of the can as it moves throughthe opening. An arcuately arranged chute is so mounted that the canmoves into the upper end thereof as it leaves the upper track means andis moved downwardly by gravity through the chute and onto the lowertrack means. As the chute arcuately extends between the upper and lowertrack means, the can is turned degrees in its passage downwardly in thechute and delivered by the same to the lower track means in an invertedor bead-down if attitude. Once the can is delivered onto the lower trackmeans, the driving means associated therewith carries the can onwardlyfor delivery to the labeling machine.

Cans delivered onto the upper track means in the desired attitude, thatis, with the sealing beads facing downwardly, do not engage thedetecting means and their passage along this track means does not resultin the displacement of the gate-like `element which, after its downwarddisplacement, is immediately moved upwardly to its normal position inwhich it forms a part of the upper track means. The can, with itssealing bead facing downwardly, therefore moves over the gate-likeelement and continues its passage. downwardly of the upper track meansto a transfer terminal spaced just above the upper track means and fromwhence it drops by gravity onto the lower track means for movementtherealong to the labeling machine.

The cans delivered to the upper track means in the end-to-endrelationship are, if not actually engaging each other, very closelyspaced and means must be provided for arresting movement 'of the canfollowing the can which is being moved off the upper track means untilthe latter has been removed and the gate-like element returned toitsnormal position. This arresting means in the now preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, although normally inoperative, is made operativeat the same time the gatelike element is displaced downwardly by theengagement of the upwardly facing bead and the detecting or feeler meanscarried by the upper track. Thus, as the gate-like element movesdownwardly to form the opening at the one side of the upper trackthrough which the can to be inverted moves, the arresting means becomesoperative to hold the next following can against movement until thegate-like element is again returned to its normal position in which itforms a part of the upper track means.

As the can to be inverted moves off the upper track and thev gate-likeelement is returned to its normal position, the arresting means is againmade inoperative and the next following can is free to move downwardlyalong the upper track. If this next following can is also inverted onthe track, that is, the sealing bead thereon is upwardly facing, thiscan will also be removed from the upper track for inversion initspassage downwardly through the chute for delivery in a beaddown attitudeon the lower track. On the other hand, if. this can is moving along theupper track with its bead facing downwardly, it will move over thegate-like element and will be delivered lfrom the upper track means ontothe lower track means as previously explained.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, particularly when taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device of the present invention witha portion of the chute broken away to more fully illustrate elementsvotherwise hidden thereby;

Figure 2 is an elevational View of the device of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a section taken along line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary View on an enlarged scale showing thedetecting or feeler means engaged by the sealing bead of the can;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational View on an enlarged scale partlyin section and showing in broken lines the gate-like element in its canremoving position;

Figure 6 is a section taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5; Y

Figure 7 is a fragmentary View on an enlarged scale, partly in elevationand partly in section, of the detecting or feeler means and showing inbroken lines a can moving along the upper track in a bead-down attitude;and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the gate-like elementin its normal position.

The can handling or arranging device of the lpresent invention,referring now to the accompanying drawing, and more particularly toFigure l therefore, comprises a downwardly and laterally inclined trackit including, in the illustrated embodiment of the device, a pair ofL-shaped rail elements Il and l2 rigidly held apart in substantiallyparallel relationship by relatively short brace members i3. The railelement l2 is vformed by two aligned segments spaced apart to form a gaptherein while the rail element H is continuous and unbroken throughoutits length. The rail elements forming the track ,It are rigidlysupported in the desired attitude, with the rail element l lsubstantially higher than the rail element l2, by suitable supportmembers f4 which may comprise legs t5 and the spaced -stanchions it.

Arranged beneath the track I0 and substantially aligned therewith is asecond track Il which,

Y like the track l t, includes a pair of L-shaped rail elements lil andi9 spaced apart in substantially parallel relationship through aplurality of relatively short brace members 2 I, the opposite ends ofwhich are rigidly connected to the elements I8 and EQ. The track Il is,as clearly shown, substantially horizontally disposed and this track atthe right end, as viewed in Figure l, terminates in a discharge stationfor delivering cans to the chute or conveyor platform 22 of the labelingmachine.

Mounted between the rail elements i8 and i9 of the lower track Il is anendless belt 23, one stretch of which extends between the rail elementsE8 and l. The upper surface of the stretch of the belt 23 arrangedbetween the elements it is somewhat above the upper faces of theelements i8 and i9 to insure that the belt will drivingly engage theundersurface of a can supported upon the track Il. The belt 23, asclearly shown in Figure 2, is passed around suitable sprockets 2t, atleast one of `which is driven through the shaft '25 by a source of powernot shown herein. This power source may consist of an electric motor,the shaft of which is connected to the shaft 25 through a suitable gearreduction train which drives the belt in the direction of the arrows 2@shown in Figures 2 and 5.

It should be noted here that the rightward end of track lil is spacedjust slightly above the track il so that a can moving downwardly overthe track ll will be transferred by gravity from the upper track l ontothe lower track Il as the same moves off the rightward end of the trackit.

As previously explained, the device of the present invention isparticularly adapted to be used with labeling machines for applying alabel in a strip form to a relatively flat oval can having a sealingbead extending around the upper edge thereof for sealingly holding afiat closure member in closing position at the open end of the can.rlhese cans must be delivered to the label- .ing machine in a bead-downattitude,A for the l labeling machine includes a plate which isreceivecl in the depression formed in the one face of the can by thesealing bead and which rotatably drives the can during the labelapplying operation.

In the use of the device of the present invention, the same ispositioned between the inlet end of the labeling machine and thedischarge station of the device used to arrange the cans in an endto-endrelationship after the steam cooking oper ation. Such a device, notshown, is used in most canneries today to so arrange the cans as theytumble in a haphazard relationship from a hopper or other storage memberin which they are usually stored after the cooking operation. Cans in anend-to-end relationship are moved onto the leftward end of the uppertrack I0 of the device of the present invention, and move downwardlytherealong by gravity. If a can moved onto the leftward end of the track|0 of the device of the present invention is in a bead-down attitude,this can will move downward along the track Ill and will be transferredtherefrom by gravity onto the lower track I'I to be carried by the belt23 onward and into the labeling machine.

If a can is fed into the track I0 in a bead-up attitude, this can mustybe inverted before it is end fixed to the housing of a microswitch 29,normally biased to a circuit open position, and carried by a bracket 30mounted to the upstanding flange of the L-shaped rail element i2. Thefree end of the arm 28 carries a roller 3| mounted for rotationalmovement about a substantially vertical axis. The arm 28 projects theroller 3| above the track ||l but in such a relative position that theroller `will be engaged by only the sealing bead of a can moving alongthe track I3 in a bead-up attitude. This arrangement will be clearlyunderstood from a comparison study of the showings of Figures 6 and '1.

As the upwardly facing bead of the can moving along the track ID movesinto engagement with the roller 3|, the arm Z8 is flexed toward theswitch and will be moved into engagement with the switch actuator 32 asthe medial portion of the can moves past the roller 3| to close thecircuit controlled by the switch. The circuit controlled by the switch29 includes a pair of electro-responsive devices 33 and 34 which, whenenergized, operate respectively a gate-like means 35 to open a portionof the track IU to permit rev moval of the inverted can from the track|0 and the arresting means 36 for halting movement of the canimmediately following the inverted can.

The gate-like means 35 comprises, referring now to Figure 6, an L-shapedrail element 31 interconnecting the ends of a pair of spaced angle bars33 extending transversely of the track |0 and each pivotally mounted tospaced brackets 39 fixed to the undersurface of the track Ill. r)Theangle bars S8, in the illustrated embodiment of the present invention,are mounted by a pivot rod 4 I, the opposite ends of which are passedthrough aligned apertures formed in the brackets 39. An arm 42, fixed tothe ange of each of the bars 38, extends outwardly of the track lll andthe free end of each arm is held against movement by a brace rod 43interconnecting the free ends of the arms. A coiled spring 44 having oneend fixed to each arm 42 and the other connected to the upstanding angeof the rail element I| normally urges the arm 42 in a clockwisedirection, as viewed in Figure 6. The springs thus tend to hold theangle bars 38 in engagement with the under surface of the rail elementin which position the L-shaped rail element 31 bridges the gap in therail element |2 formed by the spaced apart segments thereof and, in suchposition, as clearly shown in Figure 1, is in substantial alignment withthe two segments of the rail element |2.

To move the gate-like member downwardly to move the rail element 31thereof out of its position bridging the gap in the rail element I2, theelectro-responsive device 33 may take the form of an electro-magnet 46mounted below the track le by a suitable bracket 41 supported in part bythe adjacent stanchion I6. The electro-magnet includes the usual lcoilelement surrounding a pole piece and a pivotally mounted arm 41 ofmagnetic material. Fixed to the free end of the arm 41 is a compressionlink 48, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to one of thearms 42. It will be seen when the coil of the magnet is energized andthe arm 41 is pulled thereto, the compression link 48 will be forcedupwardly, as viewed in Figure 2, to rock the arms 42 about their pivotalmounting and thus force the gate-like mem- 'ber from the solid lineposition, as shown in Figure 6, to the broken line position there shown.As the coil of the electro-magnet is energized by the closing of themicroswitch 29, brought about by the engagement between the `sealingbead of a can moving along the track ll in a bead-up attitude and theroller 3| carried by the exible finger 28, the gate-like means will bemoved downwardly just as the can in the bead-up attitude moves onto therail element 31. As the track Ill is inclined laterally as well aslongitudinally, the cans will be held by gravity against the upstandingflange member of the rail element |2 and consequently the upstandingflange of the rail element 31. Thus as the gate-like member dropsdownwardly upon energization of the electro-magnet, the can held bygravity against the flange of the rail element 31 will move sidewiselyor laterally from the track I6 with a pitching or tilting movement.

To augment the action of gravity on the can, means are preferablyprovided for applying an upwardly directed force against the undersurface of the can as it beginsits movement off the track Il). In thenow preferred embodiment of the present invention, this means comprisesa pair of roller elements 49 mounted just below the track la anddisposed between the spaced angle bars 38. These rollers are mounted inposition by a suitable mounting bracket 5! fixed to the underneathsurface of the rail member I As the rollers are mounted between theangle bars 38 and just beneath the same in the normal position of thebars, movement of the gate member downwardly will result in relativemovement of the rollers upwardly between the angle bars 33 to thus applyan upwardly directed force against the can moving laterally downward offthe track Hl.

The can, as it moves off the track IU is received by a lchute 52comprising, in the illustrated form of the invention, a metallic sheethaving one edge xed to the upstanding flange of the rail element Il andextending upwardly and across the track I!) and then arcuately downwardwith 1ts lower edge fixed to the upper surface of the rail element I9 ofthe lower track l1. It should be lclearly seen that movementof the. candis-y charged laterally from the track ill downwardly in the chute 52will result in an inversion of that can as it reaches the lower end ofthe chute. As the lower end of the chute leads onto thelower track, itwill be understood that the can discharged from the upper track isdelivered onto-the Vlower track in a position inverted from its positionon the upper track id.

To facilitate movement of the can onto the lower track, the chute 52 maybe formed with a wall member which vforces the can traveling down thechute into the lower track in the direction of movement of the stretchof the endless belt 23 moving lbetween the rail elements of the lowerrack. To simplify construction oi the chute 52,

lthe mea-nused to guide the can onto the lower track may consist of aseparate guide element 53 -in the form-oi an arcuately extending straphaving at least one end fixed relative to the lower track.

t should be understood that once the can is inverted by its passagedownwardly in the chute g 52 and delivered ont-o the track, it will becarried. forwardly toward the labeling machine in the following may moveover the gate member before the same is returned to its upper position.lt will be appreciated that because of hysteresis there will be somedelay in the gate member returning to its upper position under theurging of the springs i? and, to guard against any inadvertent dischargeof a can moving along the track I il in a bead-down position, means areprovided herein for arresting movement or" the nekt following can aslong as the coil of the electro-magnet is energized.

This means, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, comprises apair of arms 54 laterally extending from a rod 55 mounted for rotationbeneath the track It. Any means desired may be used to mount the rod 55although, in the illustrated form of the invention, the rod is mountedby journaling the opposite ends thereof in small bearing members carriedby the under surfaces of the rail elements H and l2. A link 5l, havingone end rigidly connected to the rod 55, is pivotally connected at itsopposite end to the core member of an electro-responsive device -34which, as herein shown, comprises a solenoid. It will be remembered thatthe solenoid is connected into the circuit controlled by the switch 29and consequently the coil thereof is energized simultaneously withenergization of the coil of the electro-magnet. Energization of thesolenoid, referring now to Figure 5, results in movement of the coreinwardly thereof to swing the link 51 in a counterclockwise direction,as viewed in Figure 5, to thus urge the rod 55 and consequently the arms.54 in the same direction. Each arm 5A carries at the free end thereof alaterally extending ringer 59 which, although normally carried below thetrack lll, is moved by the counterclockwise movement of each arm 54 intoa position projecting above the rail elements il and l2 of track Il).The rod 55 is so arranged von the track l0 that the fingers 59 arespaced v.from the vroller 3l a distance substantially equal to half thelength of the can handled by the device. As the arm 28 is not iiexed ormoved into engagement with the switch actuator 33 to close the switch 29until the widest or medial portion of the can inthe bead-up attitude isengaging the roller 3l, it will be seen that the lingers 59 are notprojected above the track I0 until the trailing edge of the can has justcleared theopening in the rail elements Il and I2. Even if the switchshould be energized before the trailing edge of the energizing can hascleared the opening, upward movement of the lingers merely applies anupwardly directed force against the un- Y der surface of the trailingedge portion of the vcan and will assist .in removing the can' from thetrack lll.

As the'fingers 59 are spaced apart transversely of the track it adistance less than the width of the can, they ywill arrest furthermovement of the next following can during the ejecting cycle of thedevice during which the can in the beadup attitude is transferred fromthe upper track to the lower track. Once, however, the can energizingthe switch has moved downwardly and into the chute 52 and the switchactuator 32 returned to its normal open circuit position, resulting inde-energization of the coil of the solenoid, the link 51 is swung in aclockwise direction by a spring 6| having one end anchored to the railelement il of track Il) and its opposite end fixed to the lower end ofthe link 5l. This movement of the link 5l will, as should now be clear,result in downward movement of the iingers 59 to their normal positionbelow the track Ill to permit the can held thereby to resume itsmovement downwardly of the track IB. Should this can be in a bead-upattitude, the cycle of operation of the device just described will, ofcourse, again repeat and this can ejected from the track I0 and invertedin its passage downwardly in the chute 52. On the other hand should thiscan be moving downwardly of the track in a bead-down attitude, the canwill' pass over the gate member and downwardly of the track l0 to theterminal portion spaced just above the lower track for transfer theretoby gravity.

Although the device of the present invention has been described hereinas particularly adapted to handle oval cans, it should be understoodthat, by slight modification, cans of other shapes can be sorted by thedevice of the present invention. For instance, if the bracket 3@mounting the micro switch 29 was fixed to the upst-anding flange of therail element l2 for vertical movement and means were provided forholding the bracket in a desired position of adjustment, cans of varyingthicknesses could be readily accommodated. This should be obvious foractually the bracket is mounted in such a position relative to the railelement that the roller 3l of the linger 28 is spaced above the railelement l2 a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the can.If relatively thick cans were to be handled by the device, the bracket35 could be moved vertically into a higher position on the iange of therail element to accommodate thicker cans. Other possible modificationsof the present invention necessary to accommodate cans of sizes andshapes other than the cans herein illustrated should be obvious toanyone skilled in the art to which this invention pertains.

It should be seen now that the device of the present invention isadapted to receive cans of 9 the type having a sealing bead extendingaround the upper edge thereof after the cans have been partially sortedand arranged in an end-to-end relationship and deliver the cans in apreselected constant relative position or attitude to a labeling machinewithout the necessity of any hand labor.

Although the now preferred embodiment of the present invention has beenshown and described herein, it is -to be understood that the inventionis not to be limited thereto, for it is susceptible to changes in formand detail within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A device for arranging cans of the type having a sealing beadextending around the one edge thereof for delivery to a dischargestation thereon in a preselected constant attitude; a track adapted toIreceive said cans in a random attitude in an end-to-end relationshipfor movement therealong; a second track arranged below said first trackand leading to said discharge station; said upper track being formedwith an opening at the one side thereof intermediate the ends thereof; agate; means for pivotally mounting said gate for movement into and outof a position closing said opening; means normally urging said gateupwardly into a position closing said opening; normally inoperativemeans for moving said gate downwardly of said upper track; means carriedby said upper track adjacent the opening therein adapted to be engagedand actuated by the bead of each can moving along said upper track in anattitude other than said preselected attitude for rendering operativesaid gate moving means, whereby the can moving along said track in saidinverted attitude moves onto said gate means as the same isrmoveddownwardly to clear said opening; means xed relative to said upper trackfor applying an upwardly directed force to the undersurface of said canas said gate moves downwardly to discharge said can laterally Ifrom saidupper track; an arcuately extending chute for receiving cans dischargedthrough said opening, said chute inverting said cans as they passdownwardly therein; and guide means carried at the lower end of saidchute for delivering the cans passed downwardly in said chute onto saidlower track for movement therealong in the preselected attitude.

2. A device for arranging cans of the type having a sealing beadextending around the one edge thereoi` for delivery to a dischargestation thereon in a preselected constant attitude; a track adapted toreceive said cans in a random attitude in an end-to-end relationship formovement therealong; a second track arranged below said rst track andleading to said discharge station; said upper track being formed with anopening intermediate the ends thereof; a gate; means for pivotallymounting said gate for movement into and out of a position closing saidopening; means normally holding said gate in a position closing saidopening; normally inoperative means for moving said gate out of saidposition to clear said opening; means carried by said upper trackadjacent the opening therein adapted to be engaged and actuated vby thebead of each can moving along said upper track in an attitude other thansaid preselected attitude for rendering operative said gate movingmeans, whereby the can moving along said track in said inverted attitudemoves onto said gate means as the same is moved to clear said openingdownwardly; means for applying an upwardly directed force to theunder-surface of said can as said gate is moved to clear said opening todischarge -said can through said opening laterally from said uppertrack; an arcuately extending chute for receiving cans dischargedthrough said opening, said chute i11- verting said cans as they passdownwardly therein; guide means carried at the lower end oi said chutefor delivering the cans passed downwardly in said chute onto said lowertrack `for movement therealong in the preselected attitude; and means,normally inoperative, and rendered operative by actuation of said beadengaging means for arresting movement of the can immediately followingthe can movingalong said upper track in the inverted attitude as long assaid gate moving means is operative.

3. A device for arranging cans of the type having ya sealing -beadextending around the `one edge thereof for delivery to a dischargestation thereon in a preselected constant attitude; a track adapted toreceive said cans in a random attitude in an end-t-o-end relationshipfor` movement therealong; a second track arranged below said first trackand leading to said discharge station; said upper track being formedwith an opening at the one side thereof intermediate tne ends thereof; agate; means for pivotally mounting said gate ior movement into and outof a position closing said opening;

attitude other than said preselected attitude l for rendering operativesaid gate moving means, whereby the can moving along said track in saidinverted attitude moves onto said gate means as the same is moved toclear said opening; means for applying an upwardly directed torce to theundersurface of said can as said gate is moved to clear said opening todischarge said can through said opening laterally from said upper track;an arcuately extending chute for receiving cans discharged througnsaidopening, said chute inverting said cans as they pass downwardly therein;and guide means carcried at the lower end of said chute ior deliverlngthe cans passed downwardly in said chute onto said lower track I'ormovement tnerealong in the preselected attitude.

kA device Ior arranging cans of the type having a sealing bead extendingaround the upper edge thereof for delivery to a discharge stationthereon in a preselected constant attitude, comprising: a track leadingto said discharge station; an inclined track arranged above said firstnamed track for receiving cans in a random end-to-end relationship, saidupper track being inclined laterally so that one edge thereof is lowerythan the other; gate means forming a part of said upper track; meansfor pivotally mounting said gate means for movement about an axissubstantially coincident with the higher edge of said second track;means normally urging said gate means into a normal position in whichthe same is substantially coincident with said upper track and operativeto hold cans moving thereover against lateral movement ofi the loweredge thereof; means, including means engaged and actuated by the sealingbead inoperative of each can moving along said upper track in abead-upattitude, for pivotally moving said gate means downwardly, whereby saidcan is laterally discharged from said upper track; chute means forreceiving said discharged can, said chute means arcuately extendingdownwardly andV into registry with said lower track, whereby said candischarged thereinto is inverted in its passage downwardly therein anddelivered to said lower track inY a bead-down attitude, the can movingalong said upper track in a rim-down attitude being delivered thereby inthat attitude onto said lower track for movement therealon'g to saiddischarge station; and arresting means made operative by actuation of'said' bead engaging means for holding the can following the can movingalong said upper track in a bead-up attitude against movement as long asthe gate moving means is operative.

A' device for arranging 'cans of the type having 'a sealing beadextending around the one edge thereof for delivery to `a dischargeYstation thereon in `a preselected constant attitude, comprising: atrack leading to said discharge station; an inclined track arrangedabove said rst namedl track for receiving cans in a random end-toeendrelationship and terminating in a transfer station superimposed relativeto Said lowerV track whereby cans moving into said transferstatiorraredelivered to said lower track, said upperv track beingV inclinedlaterally' so that one edge thereof is lower than the other; gate meansforming a part of said upper track; means for pivotally mounting saidgate means for movement about an vaxis substantially coincident with thehigher edgeof saidsecond track; means normally urging said gate meansinto a normal position in `which theV same issubstantially coincidentwith said upper track and operative to hold cansU downwardly and intoregistry with said lower track, whereby said cans are inverted in theirpassage downwardly therein and delivered to said lower track in abead-down attitude; said urging means returning said gate means to saidnormal position upon discharge of the can into saidv chute whereby thecan following and moving along said upper track in a bead-downattitudemoves over said gate means and along said upper track to saidtransfer station for delivery onto said lower track in the bead-downattitude formovement therealong to said discharge station.

ALBERT A. YATES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,118,972 Torres Dec. 1, 19141,886,896 Nelson Nov. 8, 1932 2,270,428 Flint Jan. 20, 1942 2,333,940Kuehlman Nov. 9, 1943 2,368,796 Ardell Feb 6, 11945 2,505,398 HarrisApr. 25, 11950 2,529,603 Galt Nov. 14, 1950

